14 Month Old Is VERY Fussy

He's a strong willed boy, and this is something that goes with his age. My daughter is 16 months is starting to come out of that. She is very strong willed and very independent. I would keep with what you are doing, especially not giving in, and it will get better as he is able to communicate with words what he wants. This age is so hard because they understand so much but can't verbalize it because they don't yet have the vocabulary. See if you can teach him a few signs to help him tell you want he wants so that he won't become frustrated. But just keep it together and this will pass!

N.,
It may just be that he is testing his limits and/or teething but I would take him to his doctor to rule out an ear infection. It seemed to me that whenever my daughters were overly cranky I would blame it on teething and then take them to the pedi for a well-check and find out they had an ear infection. Many times colds can travel to the ears. Hope this helps and hope you can gain a little more patience! I know we could all use a little more of that, it is the thing that I struggle with the most!
S.

I am so glad you posted this. My son is going through the exact same thing. He too had a stomach bug followed by a chest cold and teething. I know that this is somewhat how he is supposed to be at this age, but when I say melt down, I mean MELT DOWN. We were at the store and I picked him up because we were leaving and he wanted to walk and threw himself on the floor and started kicking and screaming and banging his head on the ground. My doctor told me that while this type of behavior is normal for toddlers, it is a little earlier for it to be so extreme... So, I just wanted to say I understand completely. It is very frustrating and I am glad to see some posts for advice too.

N., I couldn't help but relate to this situation. My son went through something very similar around 18 months old. I kept wondering what had happened to my little angel baby that he would suddenly become this little monster. I tried to keep my patience, because he had been sick - like your son. But, finally I called the doctor which led to a discovery. My son has diabetes! I didn't think much of the excessive thirst and leaking wet diapers because he was recovering from strep throat and I figured his throat was just sore. But it turns out, his poor little body was literally dying of dehydration in an effort to rid his body of all the excess sugar in his system. A very simple test confirmed the doctor's suspicions and he was quickly admitted to the hospital where he received immediate care. They saved his life and he returned to the happy little kid I had known before. I felt terrible for thinking he was a monster when he was just so sick and couldn't talk to tell me how he was feeling.

So, my point is - call your doctor. It's so much better safe than sorry. Maybe there is something physically wrong with him and he simply can't express how he feels with words. Have your doctor check him out head to toe and tell your doc about any strange behaviors or symptoms. I think it's rare for little ones like yours to act out for no reason. It's usually something physical.

Good luck with your precious baby. I hope you can figure this out and that all turns out well.

L.

Part of that is his age. He's probably also getting frustrated because he wants to do things he's just not capable of completely. He is pushing your buttons and if you gave in once, he will again and expect you to give in. You're right, consistancy is the best bet. And the better you get at it, the better for him. Good luck!!! Happy Holidays.

I would say that your son is just teething. I am a mother to eleven children. Our youngest is 16 months now and going through a similar thing. It appears to be teething as she can be fine and then turn into a fussy little girl at the drop of a hat. I can see where her molars are trying to break through.

Everything you describe is AGE APPROPRIATE. He's 14months old, he's still a baby, he's still going to cry and whine. It's not willfull, it's not bad, it's not anything but what a NORMAL 14 month old acts like.

I really encourage you to get some books on child development from the library. They are incredibly helpful in figuring out what your child is doing and what to expect at their particular age.

When you redirect him, you play with the toy. Like if he is on the floor crying, you go grab one of his toys and start playing with it like it is the funnest thing ever and totally ignore his behavior. Tell him he can only play (with you) if he behaves. Also, the extra crankiness is probably from not feeling well, but that still doesn't make it okay.

Considering everything that has been going on, his behaviour seems ver normal, I would say keep doing what you are doing, some of what he is doing is normal for a 14 month old, they want everything they can't have, it does get better, but you really must say consistant, my 15 1/2 month old has just came out of that phase and I didn't think I would make it and stay sane but it has gotten better. You are doing fine, good luck.

I'm sure all the things that is going on with him is effecting him. However, have you looked over how many hours of sleep he is getting. It sounds to me that he acting that way perhaps because he is tired.